Garment blocker



Oct. 18, 1949. L N E AL 2,484,806

GARMENT BLOCKER Filed Feb. 25, 1946 INVENTORS.

KENNETH R.LARSON.

OHN e. BILZ. BY I" ATTORNE Patented Oct. 18, 1949 BLOCKER Kenneth B. Larsop Des Plaines, andJohnG; Bilz, Niles -IlL, asslgnors-to Carl -B. Albert, Milwau:

Appli ationfiebtusryfit 19sa,seria1.,Ne-49, reclaims. (Cl. 2:22:59)

This invention re at s. o dju ta e ro ta v 9. 1 ar entblpck lis, and mo e tlw lv o m ro ed a us able eak ng dev c th eim, althou h it. and certai n tures the of" may be mp o ed wi h anal advantage to o he pu poses.-

ap l tion is acon-tinua e x pa t .o v ou oop iisli eanplieaticn seria M n ar, 49,485, filed February 23, 9:

I contempla es mo e especal y th provi on of mprw das iusta la ame gu de nd r s lie astene means-f r endering si ch. ad usta le and maintaining the elements thereof in any adjusted relation ithint e r intended ize r nge o m Ad u table f ames usually embody, o erlage ng wire a t is str s. o b ock r or ine s for garment which are. n rmally. of var ed s eand size t 921 shape haraszte 'cs q diiierent ndivisiu ls I orde to is ti bla k ar ous sized-g m nts f knit construct on t s highly desirab atn have the lo er adjusta l to difier nt shapes and sizes We l as posit onal sunp t. her b equiring. t e omponen ele nt it est nc d ng th sle es, t be readi adjusta le and, ss iy ma ntained is adju te r at to m et: th prob ems in dent t siryinadi play and fitt n s Most a ments vary in .co itmi as well-as; ho ld andh ahar cte st s lathe s -mes s to theendthat'it is slmostim ess bis t pro erly lock every ss ble knit garment within e ame eneral. .s merisiqn n order o eve came short oming o ordinary s rmsntb sqlssts as we l taste sma ish. he necess ty Qt smelting nume us types ga men b cki g de ice it s po d t ro d qi s ment' eatsrsls to con orm. w th. pecifi a y ap d and s d. sarments o er to up y. s ap o 1 l; s h n an exp ditiou ma ne 11r sr 1 t pes f ad us a f am suc as garme blocke s have he e re n n ao ed, but he adjustab e r ta g. mean n these have either been too ez rpensive or are not entirely satisfactory from a production and operat on standpoint o ing t t e-Y na y 9 render such ,quiclgly adjustable without entailing any appreciable manipulation difllcui ty and'production expense. Most locking exgedients r e t r str stii al' y intr cate .or exp nsive n. p d c io or wil no at sfactorily ope ate -1 a l s rodu d n a sembl d wit in prea si. n

tolerances ,or for that matter involve fmoving pa ts h h do ot a w ysfi s ion.sstis acte ly ar use with g rmant e ps satly v s ns,- "Furthe .ohs sis. ah e d ii uity is a orm with the dimens onal a d;

maintain n t e component. elsmew v. s

ment blockers'such necessarily are subjeete y the wet garments so that the component elementsthereof must be readily-associ-able and removalzale-v relative to the garment without obstruction-thereto or causing undesirable stretch thereof. It is also desirable that the component elements andthe expedients for mainta-in-ingsuch in adjustedrelatien should not become involved with the materialofwhieh the garment is madenor shouldsuch protrude to any extent to avoid impairment to the garment. This is particularly true of the sleeves which usually are attached to frame eyelets that-interrupt smoothness of garment contour and obstruct the garment in the association-thereof with the frame, especially when the arm forms are not utilized which occurs often within the judgment of the user and the requirements of the garment.

With the teachings of the present invention, the adjustable retaining means are shaped from theirame wire to comprise an integral portion thereof. The arm forms have theirown integral retainers for frictional adjustable grasp of the smooth frame wire to render such readily attac ha'ble and detachable relative to the frame body; easily adjustable in size, and inexpensive in construction.

One object of the present invention i to: pro vide improved adjustable locking means for blockers to conform with various siaed and styled garments.

Another object is to provide improved, more sign-pie and less expensive adjusting expedients for garment blockers having shoulder and/or waist and/or shirt portions readily adjustableto meet different styled and sized garment characteristics,

Still; another object is to provide improved and less expensive frame guiding and locking expedients integrally shaped from frame portions to afford efiective'blocker adjustments to accommpdate varied garments for expeditious garment q zi g.

A further object is to provide novel wire guiding and locking means integral with garment blocker frames for maintaining such in adjusted size without the locking means serving as an appreciable obstruction to the garment."

A still further object is to provide improved, dependable, and simple combination overlapping frame wire guiding and locking means shaped thereof.

Still another object is to provide an improved adjustable" frame and arm guiding and locking means that do not embody movable parts for.

maintaining garment blockers in adjustment and afford instant adjustment and convenient manip-.

ulation responsive to a relative displacing urge on the frame elements.

Other objects and advantages will appear from the following description of an illustrativeembodiment of the present invention.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a garment blocker having improved adjusting fasteners embodying features of the present invention.

Figure 2 is a front view in elevation of the garment blocker shown in Figure 1 with the sleeve appendages associated therewith.

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary front view in elevation of anupper frame spring guiding bracket and hook shown in Figures 1 and 2 assembled with the garment frame.

Figure. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of the frame overlapping portions taken substantially along line IVIV of Figures 1 and 2 showing thespring guiding bracket and hook.

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary top sectional plan view of the spring guiding bracket taken substantially along line VV of Figure 3.

Figure 6 is a detail enlarged front view in elevation of extensible bottom frame overlap-ping portions provided with guiding and retaining elements of the type shown in Figure 2.

Figure 7 is a detail enlarged front view in elevation of extensible bottom frame overlapping portions provided with modified guiding and retaining elements.

Figure 8 is a detail enlarged front view in elevation of extensible bottom frame overlapping portions provided with still further modified guiding and retaining elements.

The structure selected for illustration is not intended to serve as a limitation upon the scope or teachings of the invention, but is merely illustrative thereof. There may be considerable variations and adaptations of all or part of the teachings depending upon the dictates of comtheiextremitie s of the overlapping wire frame portions l5l 6, respectively.

The spring clips |1I8 (Figures 2 and 6) are identical in shape, structure and functional characteristics to those illustrated and described in our above identified copending application, and anyfurtherdescription thereof would be merely repetitious in that these are inverted and oppositely disposed to serve the same function on their respective bottom frame overlapping Wire mercial practice. The present embodiment comprises any suitable adjustable frame It consisting of a plurality of sections such as H and I2, in this instance two, preferably though not essentially bent or otherwise shaped from wire to provide overlapping upper portions l3l4 and overlapping lower portions l5|6, although intermediate overlapping wire elements may be provided should commercial practice so dictate. The frame sections I II 2 define, in this instance, an adjustable sweater garment blocker, although the particular configuration thereof may be varied within a wide range depending upon the dictates of commercial practice.

So that the frame sections Il-I2 may be adjustable in size responsive to guiding and displacing the overlapping wire frame portions I3-I4 and l5l6 relative to each other and to confine them slidably to extensible adjacent relation, each of the upper overlapping wire frame portions I3 l4 and the lower overlapping wire frame portions I5l6 have, in this instance, combined guiding and frictional retaining fasteners assocated with each-or preferably bent or arportions l5l6. This is also true of the sleeve forms I920 which have spaced diagonally connected convolutions defining spring clips or clamps 2 l- 22 and 23-24 on the upper and lower extremities of the sleeve forms i92ll, respectively. The sleeve form clips 2i22 and 2324 are fully-illustrated and described in the above designated copending application and require no further explanation herein. The sleeve forms l920 or their counterparts, the modified short sleeve forms l92il are readily attachable and detachable to the garment frame section H-l2 in the arm pit regions 25 and 26 thereof as well as adjustable therealong as shown in dotted outline in Figure 2. I

As shown, the overlapping frame portions I3Hl terminate in any suitable finger grasping extremity such as the eyelets 2l-2-8, respectively, turned or otherwise provided thereon to enable the relative sliding thereof 'in parallel spaced relation by simultaneous manual forces thereon to effect their approach or recession in sizing the'frame It for the major area thereof save the bottom overlapping portions lB-Hi that have their own individual adjusting expedients l' |l8, respectively. By causing the recession of the finger grasping ends 2'l28 of the overlapping portions l3l4, the garment frame 10 is narrowed considerably in size to assume any shape such as is shown in dotted outline in Figure 2. This reduction in size of the frame i0 enables slip-over sweaters to be introduced thereon by inserting the neck through the bottom overlapping portions l5l 8 when reduced to its narrowest size and, thereupon, one shoulder is then provided on the rounded arm pit portion 25 and the other on'the opposite arm pit portion 26 so that one shoulder is on the overlapping wire l3 and the other on the overlapping wire I4 which are in horizontal alignment in spaced relation to permit one and then the other of the garment shoulders thereon. For that matter, a cardigan sweater as well as a slip-over type may be shaped and. dried on a frame structure l0, and this is rendered possible by the narrow bottom configuration I5-I6 thereof to permit the neck of the sweater to be inserted thereover without imparting any undesirable stretch therein.

In order to maintain the top overlapping portions l3-l 4 in spaced relation and to retain them in their desired adjusted relative slidable relation, an improved retainer is provided which, in

. The diverging shanks 3233 terminate in spaced planes forwardly and backwardly for a distance anemone to provide thedesired spacing of the top framc overlapping portions |3-l4. To this end, each of the shanks 32--33-merge-into counterclockwiseand clockwise wound diagonally opposite convolutions- 34-35, respectively (viewed from Fig-- ure 4); at the spaced ends'of' the diverging shanks 3233 toreceive the frame overlapping wires I3-l4 therethrough along with otherconvolutions as will'appearmore fully hereinafter (Figure-5l).

Each of the diagonally opposite convolutions 34 -35 is contiguous with an oppositely wound convolution 36-31, respectively, that are also diagonally opposite to receive the other of the two fra-me overlapping wires l3=-l4 inspacedaligned relation with the initial convolutions 34- 35; respectively. Each of'the-diagonally opposite convolutions 36'--3-'l is contiguous-with a linear series of adjacent convolutions 3839,- in-this instance eleven, which define substantially'straight cylindrical tubular members in alignment with theoriginal diagonally opposite shank merging convolutions 3'4*-351to support the top frame overlapping wires I3-l4 therethrough in parallel spaced relation to each other. It should benoted that the end convolution 404l of each oftheconvolution series 3839 terminate in the space between the initial convolutions 34-35 and thenext adjacent space provided' to accommodate the hook extremity shank 32+-33 to substantially meet therewith and thus present smooth enclosed end-convolutions 3436 and 35-31 which avoid any sharp obstruction which would snagor otherwise impair the garment disposed overtheframe' l0.

It-should benoted that the terminal ends-of thetop frame-overlapping members l3--|4 are provided-thereon after the wires l3--l 4 have been projected through the 'linear'series of 1 cylindricaltubular member forming convolutions 38-39 which present a surface frictional reaction with thesomewhat smaller top frame overlapping members l3--I4 that are curved or arcuate compared to' the'straight cylindrical tubular memberconvolutions 38-39 and, therefore, present frictional reacting surfaces therewith. While parallel spaced tubular members may be utilized-inconjunction-with arcuate frame overlapping wire portions I -3'l4 to present frictional telescopic association therewith, yet' the cylindrical tubul'ar series-of convolutions 38 are more advantageousin that they yield =sufiiciently in.a transverse" directionto partially conform with the curvature of theframe overlapping: wires l3-- l 4 to; present.

suflicient frictionto' retain-them in their relativeadjusted relation andstill provide for their rela-- tive-displacement without impairmentfito the finis-h: or surface ofv the wire frame overlapping members or portions l3.- |4.

This construction .presents an effectivehanging. hook 29 for the-entire frame In and simultaneouslyv serves to .maintain. the top i frame. overlap.-- ping members l3.|4 in-.parallel spacedadjusteda relation for the convenience and effective manual variation ofathes size and contoursof-the frame I 0 to. conform witha garment of the desired: re.- sultant. size: after drying thereon. It. should be notedsthatwith a frame l0;of the described and; illustrated structure, it would. be desirabletoprovide. such in a number of different size; ranges; such: assmall, medium, andJarge toaccommo date; infant; junior and. adult garments; respeca tively, ,from the. smallest to the largestfor: both the-male and: female. styles, The terminal en larged; ends. 21-48; of the, members I 3-44 pre- 6? cludethe removal of the hook; 293 and: its: spaced parallel series a of convolutions: 3$.---39i fromz the:- frame. III.

In themodified embodimenfishown in. Figure 7, the bottom overlapping frame portions I5'-I 5:

of the-framesections' l:=l'-l2-f comprising: the frame Inf, terminate inroppositely; extending and laterally. offset; series of; convolutions. Iii--48. which offer the desired frictional reactiomwith; thewires- I6'I5.' to maintain them in'their desired: relative; displacement. for determining; the." size. of the. lower frame. region- 1 This. ar-- rangement of convolutions l|"--l8' on. thelter minal. endsof the overlapping bottom framemembers. l5--lfi' would have to:be sized to.-offer enough frictional=reaction to'permit the relative displacement of the bottom frame: overlapping portions ISL-l6 andtyeteffect their: retention tottheir adjusted relative positions. A still fur.- thermodified embodiment of thebottom-frame. overlapping portions. l 5"--l6" of the frame. sec,- tion. I I"I 2' consists in providing end convolutions l'|"l8" which are laterally offset. to. receive the. bottom overlapping frame portions I 5."-l B" insIidable spaced relation and'provide. sufficient freedom of relative displacement to render. it. necessary to provide an additional'friction expedient such. as. depending U-shaped fingers- 42--43 which have their terminal legs MI -45, re spectively, terminate upwardly for surface contactwith a series of horizontally spacedvertical notches 46-41 knurled or otherwise provided in the confronting surfaces of the bottom frame overlapping portions I5"'-ll"..

The fingers 42-43 serve the dual'function of" providing finger grasping manipulating members. and also serve as frictional retainers to maintain the bottom portions. of the frame sections lI"-'-l2" in their adjusted position; A- slighttwist exerted on the fingers 42"43" will: lessen the frictional reaction thereof" with the notches 4641 on the bottom frameoverlapping portions l5"l6" and thus permit comparatively free sliding relative displacement therebe' tween.

While we have illustrated and describeda pre ferred embodimentof'this' invention, it must be understood that the invention is capable of considerablevariation and modification without departing fromthe spirit of the invention.- We; therefore, do notwish to be limited to the precise details of construction setforth; but desire-to avail ourselves of such variations and-modifica tions as come within-the scopeof the Y appended: claims.

We claim:

1. In a device'of the characterdescribed; the combination with agarment form having relaetively'slidable overlapping curved portions for. defining adjustable interiorshapes of garments to be sized thereon, and straight .elongateditubue lar means frictionally associated; withsaidgar menti. formw overlapping: curveda. portions to, slide ably and. resiliently retain; said; garment. form.

l overlapping portions'in adjustedoverlapping 8X6 tensiblerelation relative to saidxtubular means to; support variously. sized and shapedgarments-on, said form.

2; In adevice of the character described; the combination with agarmentv form having rela.-- tively slidableoverlapping. portionsv for; defining; adjustable interior. shapes..- of garments to. be sized thereon, and. elongated tubular means .fric. tionallyx associated with, each. of said. garment. form overlapping portionsbeing separated from 7 the other to slidably guide and resiliently retain said garment form overlapping portions in adjusted overlapping extensible relation to support variously sized and shaped garments on said form.

'3. In a device of the character described, the combination with a garment form having relatively slidable overlapping portions for defining adjustable interior shapes of garments to be sized thereon, and elongated tubular convoluted means frictionally associated with each of said garment form overlapping portions being separated from the other to slidably guide and resiliently retain said garment form overlapping portions in adjusted overlapping extensible relation to support variously sized and shaped garments on said form.

4. In a device of the character described, the combination with a garment form having relatively slidable overlapping portions for defining adjustable interior shapes of garments to be sized thereon, and parallel spaced elongated tubular means frictionally associated with each of said garment form overlapping portions being separated from the other to slidably guide and resiliently retain said garment form overlapping portions in adjusted overlapping extensible relation to support variously sized and shaped garments on said form.

5. In a device of the character described, the combination with a garment form having relatively slidable overlapping portions for defining adjustable interior. shapes of garments to be sized thereon, and parallel spaced elongated tubular convoluted means frictionally associated with each of said garment form overlapping portions being separated from the other to slidably guide and resiliently retain said garment form overlapping portions in adjusted overlapping extensible relation to support variously sized and shaped garments on said form.

6. In a device .of the character described, the combination with a garment form having relatively slidable overlapping portions for defining adjustable interior shapes of garments to be sized thereon, elongated tubular means frictionally associated with said garment form overlapping portions to slidably guide and resiliently retain said garment form overlapping portions in adjusted overlapping extensible relation to support variously sized and shaped garments on said form, and a hook extending from said elongated tubular means to support said garment form.

7. In a device of the character described, the combination with a garment form having relatively slidable overlapping portions for defining adjustable interior shapes of garments to be sized thereon, parallel spaced elongated tubular means frictionally associated with each of said garment form overlapping portions being separated from the other to slidably guide and resiliently retain said garment form overlapping portions in adjusted overlapping extensible relation to support variously sized and shaped garments on said form, and a hook extending from said parallel spaced elongated tubular means to support said garment form.

8. In a device of the character described, the combination with a garment form having relatively slidable overlapping portions for defining adjustable interior shapes .of garments to be sized thereon, parallel spaced elongated tubular convoluted means associated with each of said garment form overlapping portions being separated from the other to slidably guide and resiliently retain said garment form overlapping portions in adjusted overlapping extensible relation to support variously sized and shaped garments on said form, and a hook having rigid converging shanks integrally extending from said parallel spaced elongated tubular convoluted means to support said garment form.

9. In a device of the character described, the combination with a garment frame comprising relatively slidable overlapping sections, said sections having upper overlapping end portions, said upper overlapping end portions having an arcuate complemental curvature, and comparatively straight elongated-tubular members for frictionally and slidably receiving each of said upper overlapping end portions therethrough to maintain said overlapping end section portions in relatively adjusted relation to control the size of said garment frame.

10. In a device of the character described, the combination with a garment frame comprising relatively slidable overlapping-sections, said sections having upper overlapping end portions, said upper overlapping end portions having an arcuate complemental curvature, and comparatively straight elongated tubular convoluted wire members for frictionally and slidably receiving each of said upper overlapping end portions therethrough to maintain said overlapping end section portions in relatively adjusted relation to control the size of said garment frame.

11. In a device of the character described, the combination with a garment frame comprising relatively slidable overlapping sections, said sections having upper overlapping end portions, said upperoverlapping end portions having an arcuate complemental curvature, comparatively straight parallel spaced elongated tubular convoluted wire members for frictionally receiving each of said upper overlapping end portions therethrough to maintain said overlapping end section portions in relatively adjusted relation to control the size ofsaid garment frame, and a hook with converging shanks extending from said convoluted wire tubular members to maintain them in parallel spaced relation.

12. In a device of the character described, the combination with a garment frame comprising relatively slidable overlapping sections, said sections having upper and lower overlapping end portions, said upper overlapping end portions having an arcuate complemental curvature, comparatively straight elongated tubular convoluted wire members for frictionally receiving each of said upper overlapping end portions therethrough, and longitudinally spaced tubular members for frictionally receiving the lower overlapping end portions, said upper and lower overlapping end portions being relatively extensible within said tubular members to maintain said overlapping end section portions in relatively adjusted relation to control the size of said garment frame.

13. In a device of the character described, the combination with a garment frame comprising relatively slidable overlapping sections, said sections having upper and lower overlapping end portions, said upper overlapping end portions having an arcuate complemental curvature, comparatively straight elongated tubular convoluted wire members for frictionally receiving each of said upper overlapping end portions therethrough, longitudinally spaced tubular members for freely receiving the lower overlappin end portions, and terminal extensions on said Iongitudinally spaced tubular members to confront the adjacent overlapping section end portions for frictional contact therewith, said upper and lower overlapping end portions being relatively extensible within said tubular members to maintain said overlapping end section portions in relatively adjusted relation to control the size of said garment frame.

14. A supporting bracket for a garment frame having overlapping relatively extensible portions for varying the size thereof, said supporting bracket comprising a hook having diverging shanks, and wire convolutions extending from said hook shanks to define elongated parallel tubular members for frictionally and slidably receiving each of said overlapping extensible frame portions therethrough.

15. A supporting bracket for a garment frame having overlapping relative extensible portions for varying the size thereof, said supporting bracket comprising a hook having diverging shanks, wire convolutions extending from said hook shanks to define elongated parallel tubular members for frictionally receiving each of said overlapping extensible frame portions therethrough, and terminal ends on said wire convolutions interposed between several convolutions of said tubular members for confining the convolution.

16. A supporting bracket for a garment frame having overlapping relatively extensible portions for varying the size thereof, said supporting bracket comprising a hook bent from wire to present diverging shanks, said shanks extending at their diverging ends into spaced connected convolutions, and wire convolutions extending from one of each of said spaced connected convolutions for alignment with the other of said spaced, connected convolutions on each of said diverging hook shank to define elongated parallel tubular members for frictionally receiving each of said overlapping extensible frame portions therethrough.

KENNETH R. LARSON.

JOHN G. BILZ.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 374,035 Bisbee Nov. 29, 1887 558,085 Lintner et al Apr. 14, 1896 706,026 Crawford Aug. 5, 1903 823,376 Twitchell June 12, 1906 872,100 Wood Nov. 26, 1907 1,052,426 Ringler Feb. 4, 1913 1,244,342 Koenig Oct. 23, 1917 1,709,205 Clark Apr. 16, 1929 2,120,748 Harris June 14, 1938 2,137,691 Landsman Nov. 22, 1938 2,148,688 Freise Feb. 28, 1939 2,213,975 Burwell Sept. 10, 1940 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 447,232 Great Britain Mai 14. 1936 

